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Bologna day trips

What would be the top two choices from this list ... if there are better options please let me know.
I know many of you may ask what we like to do but in a day I feel that you can just get the flavor of city so a nice walking city with a possible art or museum .. a nice outdoor lunch and gelato.
I did not put Venice on the list because we will have already visited Venice earlier in our trip
(I have been to Florence but my kids have not. ) Many thanks

I've been to all of these cities except for Reggio Emilia. I'd suggest Ferrara and Verona, especially with kids. I love Ravenna, but it takes longer to get to, with a change of train, and I'm not sure how interested your kids would be in 1200-year-old mosaics. (They are spectacular to me.)

Verona is a beautiful city apart from the Arena. There is a Roman bridge over the Adige river, and also a beautiful medieval bridge which is attached to the Castel Vecchio, a medieval castle that guarded the river crossing. The Piazza delle Erbe is also beautiful.

Ferrara has a splendid ducal castle.

Both are cities with lots of atmosphere, and both are great walking cities. Good food would be very easy to find in either city.

I like Bologna for itself -- history, food, architecture and somewhat less hectic tourist scene. It's also handy to some of the places you mention, plus several nearby headquarters for very fast and expensive Italian cars such as Ferrari. The tourist information office can help with the particulars: http://www.bolognawelcome.com/en/
Wikipedia gives thumbnail sketches of its history and nature: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bologna

Ferrara by bicycle is especially nice. From the train station it is a bit of a hike to the center, but with a bike it is a delight, and branching out from there you can hit every sight in town easily (they are a bit far to walk, but biking is a breeze) and experience the place in its entirety - - it is calm, it is surprisingly interesting, and it is perfect by bike. It's also perfectly flat - - and everyone rides bikes there, all the natives, young and old.